Voicemail is just awkward
by tallulah-belle-42
Summary: What happens after Lizzie's phonecall? After Ep 96, incorporating the preview of 97, no doubt will soon be cannonballed.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

After the voicemail, Lizzie didn't really know what to do with herself. She'd turned off the camera, and then for the longest time, she sat and stared at her phone. She tried to focus on her thesis. But it didn't really work. Every two seconds she checked her phone. Was it charged? Was the ringer on? Of course it was. But it wasn't ringing.

She was an idiot. It was the stupidest message. The way she'd said "Chat" like that? Eugh, she was disgusted with herself. She had half a mind to leave another one apologising for the first. She heard Charlotte's voice in her head "What, so he can think you're completely insane?"

She got very little work done that day.

Darcy was in his office at Pemberly Digital, staring at his phone. He had a missed call from Lizzie Bennet. A missed call. From Lizzie. Lizzie. Stupid board meetings. There was a voicemail but he hadn't played it yet. He was still so surprised she had reached out to him at all. He daren't wonder at what she had said.

He put the phone to his ear and listened.

She wanted to… chat? What did that mean? She'd sounded odd. There was tension in her voice. Was she mad at him? Had she found out? Gigi had mentioned something about the last couple of videos but he hadn't had time to watch, and mercifully, they were both so busy with the Domino project that she hadn't been able to force the issue.

He thought about returning her call immediately, but he hadn't a clue what he would say. Not the slightest idea. He stared at his phone a while longer before shoving it in a drawer and trying to focus on something productive.

He got very little work done that day.

Lizzie had sent the video to Charlotte for editing and half an hour later her phone had rung. She'd caught her breath in her throat but of course it was her bestie, not Darcy.

"Hey, Charlotte!"

"You CALLED him? Did he call you back yet?"

Lizzie sighed. "No, he hasn't."

"Well he's probably working. I KNEW you like him. It's so obvious."

"Shut up, this whole thing is already so stupid. Don't make me feel any worse."

"Do you think he's watch your videos?"

"I have no idea, Charlotte. Do you think he would have called back if he was? How am I supposed to even guess at what he's thinking? I haven't heard a peep from him. I'm sure if he wanted to talk to me he would have called me on his own. I mean, well I had thought that maybe he would have said something after the website came down."

"He's not really the kind of guy to ring you up and ask you to congratulate him. What was he supposed to say?"

"I don't know! But if he didn't want me to know what he'd done then maybe he would have called just to chat, and be, well, normal."

"Nothing between you and Darcy has ever been normal!"

"I know! It's so crazy. I don't even know what I'm expecting from him now. It just seems mad to never speak to him. And of course, I HAVE to thank him, for what he did for Lydia."

"I'm sure he'll hate that."

"Well, maybe he will, but I have to do it anyway. Look, I'd better go. Mom's calling me downstairs. And I don't want to miss him if… well, you know, just in case."

They said goodbye and Lizzie headed downstairs to find her mother in the kitchen, fussing about dinner. Lizzie checked her phone one more time, trying to figure out what he was thinking, and why he hadn't called.

Darcy, for once, had left shortly after 5pm. He was hardly working anyway so there seemed no point staying late in the office.

He cracked open a beer and pulled off his tie when he got home, and sat at the island in the kitchen with his laptop open. He brought up her YouTube channel and realised he hadn't watched any of her videos since Gigi had forced him too over the holidays, and that was months ago.

He watched their exchanges at Pemberly Digital. Awkward, at first. And then, still awkward, but friendly. And then he had asked her to the theatre and he saw again the look on her face, and the twinkle in her eye. Had she been planning on saying yes? He'd felt sure at the time, but then, after she'd gone, and he hadn't heard from her, at all, for weeks, he supposed she was maybe glad to escape him again after all.

After she was home, she hadn't mentioned him once. Pemberly was nice… but nice didn't mean anything really. And she hadn't looked like she'd enjoyed saying it. Awkward was probably the word she'd wanted to use. It wasn't until Charlotte had pressed her that she'd even acknowledged his existence.

He didn't really know what to think. He still couldn't figure out why she'd called.

Lizzie stared at the fishtank. Everything else was dark and still, but it glowed and bubbled faintly. She'd got used to it now but tonight she couldn't sleep anyway. She tossed and turned. He couldn't have been working all night, surely. But he hadn't called. He hadn't texted, emailed, or even tweeted. It was still radio silence. She wasn't really surprised. But she was disappointed. Would it really be that difficult for him just to speak to her one more time? What could he be thinking? Lizzie shoved her head under the pillow to try and block everything out.

In his kitchen, Darcy was sitting, several beers later, all caught up. He had seen the last episode posted – the one with Caroline. He knew that in the morning would be a new video. One she had filmed today, maybe before, maybe after she'd called him. It was too late to call her now, so he might as well wait and watch that one too.

Caroline's appearance had been unexpected, and all her arguments unfounded. He had no idea what he led her to behave as she had, but he was too preoccupied with Lizzie to dwell on it

Lizzie. Precious Lizzie. Snarky, judgemental, and every bit as awkward as him. He had not often dwelt on a description of his "perfect woman" but now that he had met her, he couldn't imagine anyone better suited to make him happy. And he had been so sure that she would feel the same. But she had knocked him back, and ripped him apart for everyone to see. And then, afterwards, they had made friends, a little, and he had hoped things might develop between them. But he had never really had the chance. It seemed George Wickham couldn't help but try and ruin his life.

And now she had reached out to him. She had called. Left a message. Asked to chat. What did it mean? What did she want from him? He had come full circle and was back where he had been earlier on, in his office, wondering what on earth she could be thinking? He closed his laptop, and went to bed, shoving his head under the pillow to try and block everything out.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Darcy woke with a headache as his alarm went off. Too many beers and no dinner. He knocked back some aspirin and a whole bottle of water. Back in the kitchen he threw the beer bottles into the trash and pushed open his laptop. He had a few emails, but nothing urgent so he pulled on track pants and running shoes, jammed in his ear buds and headed out to pound the pavements.

He was going to speak to Lizzie today. He still had no idea what to say and no idea what she wanted. But he was waiting for her video, hoping it might shed a little light.

He thought about the last time he had seen her. That awful day that he had helped her pack up and walk out of his life. Her brokenness had made him angry. He had burned with fury, and it had been several hours before he could really master himself again. Through his protective instincts, he had barely noticed his hand on her shoulder, on her back, as he tried to comfort her. And then out by the car, her hand on his, just for a moment, before she slid into the seat and he closed the door. He hadn't waited for the car to drive off because he could not bear to be still.

He hadn't stopped thinking about her since that moment. Never really stopped. She was in every moment. He saw her every day, but of course, it was never her. Just other girls with auburn hair and skin like snow. All different. All wrong. None of them were Lizzie. He craved her, he longed for her. He burned to have her in his arms. To be able to watch her smile, hear her laugh, smell her shampoo. And he hardly dared believe that one day he might taste her sweet lips and feel her melt beneath his touch. He had touched her before – when they'd danced at that wedding, that day he'd asked her out – but never the way he wanted, never so that she knew how he felt.

He was drenched in sweat when he reached home and jumped in the shower. He could barely keep himself from calling her right then, but they'd had so many miscommunications before that he knew he had to wait. He knew he needed all the clues he could get, so he had to wait for that video.

But it was only 7.30, and so he had to wait.

Lizzie was woken at 9am by a text from Charlotte – the video was live. The viewers would she that she had called Darcy. She wondered what they would think. She wondered if he would watch it, and if he did, when would he? And what would HE think, of all people? How would he react to all her costume theatre? To all those hints that there was more between them than just an awkward friendship? Would he have any idea what she was feeling?

She barely had any idea what she was feeling herself! She knew that she missed him. They really had become friends at Pemberly, she had thought. And she thought that he still liked her, after all, he had asked her to the theatre… But that was weeks ago. And if he liked her, and they were friends, why had he never called her? Why had she had to be the one leaving him a message?

Why was she the one who had to wait?

Darcy had made it into the office and was waiting for the video when it appeared.

He barely took it all in the first time through – there was so much there.

And then – why wouldn't he have called? He tried to defend himself internally. What would he have said? He would he even begin? Hi Lizzie, just so you know I bought out that company and punched George in the face for good measure? I did it because I love you? Please can we just go to the theatre already?

Jane would think they were sweet together. Sweet. Together? Would there be a together?

And Gigi? Well, he had told her just to leave it. And she had been insisting that HE should get in touch himself. But he had put it off because he didn't know what to say. He felt bad for getting between them. Once again he was messing things up.

And how DID he feel about her knowing about the videos? He didn't want her to feel indebted to him. He didn't want her to feel obligated, or that she owed him anything. The whole thing had been his fault. Well, George's fault primarily, but he could have prevented it himself, if he hadn't been so proud and so stubborn. And his good opinion? Well, that hadn't gone anywhere, he just didn't know she cared. But she didn't seem like she wanted to be back to square one. Wherever they had got to, it seemed as though she wished they were still there.

He wished it too. She seemed to think he knew her well enough to navigate whatever situation they were in. He was convinced that he didn't. But she was right about one thing. Talking to the internet wasn't the same as talking to a person. And his watching her videos wasn't the same as having a conversation with her.

He picked up his phone and rang.

Miles away, Lizzie had crawled out from under the covers and into the shower. Her phone lay on her bed spread and it lit up and vibrated. As it buzzed, it skittered a little on the covers, and then came to rest. A few seconds later, it buzzed again. Voicemail.

VOICEMAIL? After all this build up, for all he was prepared to speak to her again, he got her voicemail. Now he knew how she must have felt. He'd left an awkward message of his own and hung up. He desperately hoped she'd call back soon. He had more meetings that day and he really couldn't clear his calendar, nor did he want to play phone tag with her. He considered phoning back to leave another message, to let her know what times of day he would be free. But what would she think? That he couldn't make time for her anymore? That she was just one more on a long list of engagements for the day? No. He'd just have to keep his phone on him at all times, and excuse himself so he didn't miss her.

He sighed and shook his head. After everything, it had come down to this. Voicemail.

She listened to his message with her heart in her throat.

"Hi, Lizzie, it's me. Darcy. I got your message, yesterday. I would be glad to, chat, with you. So, please, call me when you get this. If you can, I mean, I don't want to impose. You're probably busy. Goodbye."

She blushed at his awkwardness. For two well-educated adults, they seemed to have immense trouble forming coherent sentences. She was still wrapped in her towel, perched on the edge of her bed, but she took a deep breath, and called him.

At his desk, Darcy had been staring at his phone, willing it to ring. When it did, he started, and then stared. And then picked up.

"Lizzie."

"Darcy, hi."

"Hi."

"Hi. It's, uh, good to talk to you."

"It's good to talk to you too."

There was an awkward pause.

"So, how are your family?"

"Oh, um, yeah, they're OK. Jane went to New York, with Bing. And Lydia is, uh, as well as can be expected, I guess."

"Good."

There was another awkward pause.

"Darcy, I have to thank you, for what you – "

"No, you don't. That's not why I did it."

"But I do though. You went out of your way, so far beyond what you needed to. You were generous even to get me a flight home, you didn't have to do anything else. How can we ever repay you?"

"I don't want you to repay me. What George did – well, it was his own fault, but it was my fault too. I knew what he was and I did nothing. I had only thought about myself before, and that meant he hurt you. I had to stop him, or I could not have lived with myself, knowing that my actions were the cause of your troubles."

"No, they weren't. It was George's action, not yours. You only saved us. All of us, we're so grateful."

"You don't have to be. And your family especially. I really only thought of you."

He heard her take a deep breath.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He took a deep breath of his own.

"Lizzie, I know you too well to think that you would trifle with me. If your feelings are what they were last November you must say so at once. My feelings are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever."

It came out all at once, and then there was a long pause. He worried that she hadn't understood him. Or that she would reject him again. At least this time it wouldn't be on camera.

"No, I – in fact, I feel quite the opposite. I'm glad that we're friends now. And I – I miss you."

Had he just been friend-zoned? But, she missed him?

"Oh. Yes, well – I'm glad we're friends too. Is that – "

She interrupted him. "Darcy, I don't want to have this conversation over the phone. We find it hard enough to talk as it is."

"Of course. Perhaps it would be best. I should go."

"No you don't have to, I mean, not right away."

"Well, I'm afraid I have a meeting very soon. I'm sorry."

"No that's OK. You are CEO, of course you must be busy. Goodbye Darcy."

He barely had time to say goodbye himself before he was cut off.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lizzie lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. She had ruined it for sure this time. She was glad that they were friends, but that wasn't all. But how could they have a conversation like that over the phone? They would struggle in real life, but on the phone? And when she'd told him even that, he had misunderstood, she was sure. He probably thought she didn't want to talk at all. And now he had meetings, so how could she speak to him again? It was torturous.

For the rest of the day Lizzie checked her phone every minute, but it never rang. All day, all evening, even overnight. They were back to radio silence. She could just call him again but surely she would only make things worse? How could anyone ever navigate these ridiculous social dramas? It was completely impossible. Maybe they really were back to square one.

In San Francisco, Darcy was throwing himself into work. He rescheduled meetings to run back to back, and worked late into the night. He fell asleep, exhausted, in a Pemberly Digital nap pod, and awoke a few hours later, slugged back a coffee, and carried on hammering away at his keyboard. They were in the middle of some important developments with the Domino project, and the last thing he needed was a weekend trip. But some things were too important. He could not miss his chance again this time. If they couldn't talk on the phone they would have to talk in person.

By 7pm on Friday he was content that he could leave without anything disintegrating over the weekend. He flew into LA and arrived at Netherfield far too late to call on Lizzie. Bing wasn't there, of course, but his lease wasn't yet up, and Darcy had a key.

On Saturday morning, Lizzie was woken up by Lydia, who came in with a tray of breakfast and was followed by her mother who brought gifts and her father who blew "ironically" on one of those party hooters.

She smiled and laughed with them, and even joined in with her mothers' schemes all day. It was her birthday, of course, and that evening she would be going out for dinner with them and Charlotte, who was back for the weekend. Her mother hassled her into getting ready far too early, and whilst she waited for it to be time to go out, she filmed a video.

"Hi everyone! So you're probably all wondering what happened after I left that voicemail message for Darcy. Well, he rang me, and left me a voicemail, and then I rang him back and in the end we just had a really awkward conversation. Of course, I said thank you to him for helping Lydia, but he was weird about it. He said it had been all for me, but he didn't want me to thank him. He said it was his fault, well, mainly not his, but partly his, for not doing anything about, uh, the problem, until it was too late. Anyway, it didn't end well and I haven't heard from him since, so I don't even know.

"But anyway, that wasn't what I wanted to make a video about today. My name is Lizzie Bennet, and today is my birthday! I'm going out for dinner this evening with Charlotte and my family, and I'm really looking forward to it. Of course, my mother insisted I get ready for it straight after lunch was over – apparently you can't be too prepared when going out in public when there might be eligible bachelors around. So here I am at 2.30 in the afternoon, all dressed up and nowhere to go."

Just then, there was a knock at the front door. Before her videos could be invaded again, she switched off the camera and went to see who was there. Just a she reached the door of the den, she heard her mother's dulcet tones.

"William Darcy!"

As Darcy stood at the door, far later in the day than he'd intended, he almost wished he hadn't come. The look on Mrs Bennet's face was by no means welcoming.

"Good afternoon, Mrs Bennet." He waited, but she seemed to have nothing to say to him. "I wondered if I might speak with your daughter. That is to say, Lizzie."

She stared. "Well, I suppose. If you really must."

"Forgive me for the intrusion, only, I really must speak with her. In person. It's very important."

She seemed to catch something in his tone, as her face brightened, and she turned to holler.

"ELIZABETH! There's a young gentleman here to see you!" And the she turned back and ushered him inside, into the den, where he and Lizzie almost banged into each other as she tried to come out as he was trying to go in.

She didn't look at him, so he didn't know how she was feeling, but she could see she was embarrassed and he wished he had called ahead.

She ushered him over to sit down on the bench in front of her camera.

"You're filming?"

"No, I, uh, just turned it off, when I heard the knock. I don't think my videos need any more unexpected guests."

"I'm sorry, I should not have come. Or I should have called. I don't mean to impose, or to inconvenience you."

"No, it's fine, actually, I'm not busy."

"Are you sure?" He looked at her curled hair and her pretty dress. "You look lovely. I mean, you look as if you are going out."

"Well, yeah, later on. My mother made me get ready really early. We're not going out until later."

"Is it a special occasion?"

"I guess so. It's my birthday today."

"Forgive me, I didn't know. I wish you many happy returns of the day."

"Thank you." She smiled him, and he wondered if he saw a little of the twinkle in her eye.

"I have come to speak with you, because you said that there was a conversation you didn't want to have over the phone."

Her face fell a little and she looked away, biting her lip. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry. I did not realise today was a special day. I should come back tomorrow. I should have called ahead."

"No, Darcy, please, we should just get this over with."

"OK."

There was an awkward pause.

Lizzie's mind was racing. What should she say? What was she going to tell him? She barely even understood her own feelings so she was at a loss for how to put them across.

"Have you watched any of my videos since Pemberly?"

"Yes, I have. I've watched all of them."

"Did you see the one from Thursday?"

"Of course. It was… illuminating. As always."

"What did you think of it?"

"I saw that this is difficult for you. Because you don't know how you feel. And I saw you using costume theatre, as always, to help you figure things out."

"Right. But all I managed to figure out was that I needed to talk to you. I didn't really manage to figure out what to say."

He was looking at her, and she wondered what he was thinking. She knew what he would be saying if their roles were reversed. He knew exactly how he felt about her. He had already told her. And what did she have to tell him? That his feelings were not unwelcome to her? That she was glad they were friends? That she wanted to go to the theatre with him after all?

"Maybe we should use costume theatre again."

She hadn't expected him to suggest that, but she nodded, and passed him the newsie hat. He was already wearing a bow tie. Maybe he had been planning this the whole time.

"Should I turn the camera back on?"

"Yes, if you think it would help."

She flicked the switch beside the lens, pulled on her checked shirt, and looked at him.

"So where do we begin?" she asked

"Where we left off."

"And where's that? That phone conversation?"

"No, the last time we spoke in person, at Pemberly."

"Oh, OK. Uh. Was there something you wanted from me?"

"No. Uh, that is to say, yes. My sister and I have a box at the theatre, and I wondered if you would like to attend with me, tomorrow night."

"I would love to go to the theatre with you and Gigi."

"Actually, Gigi has an engagement, so it would just be you and me."

She looked at him, her heart pounding in her chest. What had she been going to say? How would she have said it, back then? Back when things were almost straightforward.

"That sounds wonderful. I'd like that."

"Great! Excellent."

There was a pause.

Lizzie took a deep breath. "Would you like to come to dinner tonight with Charlotte and my family?" The sentence came out almost as a single long word.

She watched his face, his dimpled cheek and the quirk of his eyebrow.

"It would be my pleasure."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Darcy pulled off the newsie hat just as Mrs Bennet burst through the door. He strongly suspected she had been standing in the hallway listening to the last of the conversation, because she beamed at him and offered him an iced tea. He stood and went through to the kitchen with her as Lizzie turned off the camera and stowed their props as surreptitiously as she could. He sat at the table with Mrs Bennet and Lizzie hovered, not knowing where to sit or what to do. He could see her bare feet on the tiles and wondered if they were cold and what would it feel like if she sat and let him warm them in his hands and stroke the soft skin of her legs. A lock of her hair slipped forward and he wondered what it would feel like to tuck it back behind her ear and then lean down and still the smallest of kisses from her lips. He wondered what those small, delicate hands would feel like intertwined with his, damp from the condensation on their glasses.

Lydia came into the room and he saw her flush to the tips of her ears and the roots of her hair, and he felt again that he should have called. He said hello, and she recovered her composure enough to ask how he was, and then how long he was in town for, and if he would be coming for dinner with them that evening.

He was gratified by the smile on all their faces when he said how much he was looking forward to it.

Charlotte arrived not too much later and Lizzie was very glad to see her. Another person to relieve the tension. She and Darcy still hadn't really talked out their issues, and she still didn't know what he was thinking. He was all politeness and pleasantries to her mother and father, and so sensitive to Lydia, but he barely said a word to her.

Charlotte ignored the awkwardness and Lizzie was intensely grateful. It lasted all afternoon and all evening really, and she knew not what to say or where to look or how to think. She couldn't believe what was happening, that she hadn't missed her chance after all, and here was this incredible man, putting up with her crazy family!

At dinner he sat next to her, and sometimes his knee would bump hers under the table and she would blush scarlet and stutter in the middle of her sentence. When the waiter brought over a cake and they all sang Happy Birthday, she blew out the candles and they all clapped and he caught her eye and she should maybe have looked away sooner because her mother started nudging her father.

The taxi which came hadn't room for them all, and somehow it was agreed that Darcy would walk Lizzie home and then return to Netherfield himself.

There was a chill in the air and Lizzie had barely shuddered before she felt Darcy's warm soft jacket on her shoulders and his hand in the small of her back.

"Oh, you don't have to, that's OK."

"I insist, Lizzie, I can't let you catch cold on your birthday!"

She was silent. There was so much unsaid and she didn't know where to begin.

"Lizzie, I – "

"Darcy, I – "

They started at the same time, and then battled over who should continue. Lizzie won out simply by refusing to say any more.

"Lizzie, I know we have never found it easy to communicate, or to be clear about our own opinions and feelings. I want you to know that I am, in fact, still very much in love with you." He paused, but she said nothing. How could she respond to that? But he continued, "I don't want you to feel obligated because of that, or because of my involvement with, uh, the incident involving your sister. You do not owe me anything, and it would pain me to think that was how you felt.

"I would very much like to take you to the theatre, although perhaps not tomorrow night. But if you wanted to come back to San Francisco, to visit Pemberly again maybe, then I would be glad to take you. Or we could go to a theatre in LA."

She looked up at him and smiled a little. "If you do want to go tomorrow, there's a movie theatre down town. I'm sure there must be something playing that I could drag you to."

"That sounds pleasant."

"Pleasant! You make it sound like you'd rather do anything else at all! Well that's all we have to offer. Maybe afterward we can go for a milkshake, if you like."

"Whatever you prefer, I would love to see the attractions of the town."

She laughed and they walked on a little in silence. It wasn't awkward now. She leaned in a little closer to him and he put one hand in his pocket, tilting out his elbow. She hooked her hand round his arm and smiled. It was comfortable. She felt like she fitted in here.

They chatted a little about Pemberly, and about Gigi and Fitz, and Jane and Bing. Sooner than she expected, they were at the end of her road, and her pace slowed.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's just, we're nearly there."

"Oh." He stopped. "I hadn't realised it was so nearby." He turned to face her and she looked up at him. Her heart was pounding again and she felt warm all through, despite the cool air. He smiled. "I've had a really nice evening."

She laughed. "Nice? It's been awkward as hell. I'm sorry. I just didn't expect to see you today. After our phonecall I thought, you know, that I'd ruined everything."

"It would take more than a little awkwardness to frighten me off Lizzie Bennet. Surely you should know me well enough by now?" He quirked his eyebrow and she melted a little.

"Of course. I was just worried, I guess."

He took his hands out of his pockets and clasped her small ones between his. He felt warm and soft but strong and very comforting. His touch made her feel tiny, and precious. She squeezed his hands, and he squeezed back.

"Don't. You have nothing to worry about. I'm not going anywhere." He smiled, and leaned down towards her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lizzie reached up on her tip toes but he was still stooped over. He closed his eyes and tasted her soft lips and could hardly believe that he'd been thinking of exactly this not three mornings ago, before he had called her back. He kissed her gently and pulled away just a little. Her eyes flashed open and he saw something in them that he felt in the pit of his stomach. He kissed her again, more firmly, and slid one hand around her waist, pulling her a little closer. His other hand crept to her cheek and tangled in her hair. Now he could smell her hair, and taste her mouth and feel her soft skin and he had seen her eyes flash at his, and there were the tiny sounds in the back of her throat which reached to the deepest parts of his brain and tested all his self-control. He broke the kiss again and pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms round her and kissing her on the top of her head.

"I should let you go now, before I get greedy."

In answer, she snaked her hands around his waist and squeezed him tightly, shaking her head.

"Not yet." She murmured into his chest. "Stay a little longer."

They stayed locked in this embrace for longer than either of them imagined. Neither could quite pin down their thoughts and feelings but they were happy.

Eventually they had to draw apart. She handed back his jacket and almost skipped down the road to her house. She turned back at the gate to see him standing, where she had left him, watching her and smiling. She laughed and waved and blew him a kiss before running inside and closing the door quietly behind her.

Darcy turned, slowly and walked back the way he had come, toward Netherfield, and a warm bed. It was more than he had expected. And he knew now, that everything was going to be OK.

Upstairs in her bedroom, Lizzie smiled and burrowed down in her covers. Because she knew too.


End file.
